Davenport University Occupational Therapy assistant professor Barbra Katerberg has been selected for a prestigious Fulbright Award, which will send her to Uzbekistan for four months in January 2027 to advance inclusive education and early childhood development in the country.

“My project is really a dream come true,” said Katerberg. “I wrote the project from my heart, based on the needs I saw. And the timing is right. Uzbekistan is now shutting orphanages down and moving to family- and community-based services for children.”

Katerberg’s commitment to the children in Uzbekistan has spanned 27 years with each visit making a profound impact.

“After seeing the state of some of the children during my visits, I knew as an American, a professional, a woman, and a mom, I had to up my game,” she said. “I decided to go back to school to get my doctorate. I had to help. That was the catalyst.”

Her colleagues at Davenport applaud her work.

“Barbra’s selection as a Fulbright Scholar is an extraordinary honor and a testament to her longstanding commitment to improving the lives of children and families,” said Amy Stahley, Ph.D., dean of Davenport University’s College of Health Professions. “We are incredibly proud of the expertise, compassion and leadership she will bring to this work and of the impact she will make while representing Davenport University on a global stage.”

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international academic exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. Participating in partnerships across more than 160 countries, the program awards approximately 9,000 grants annually to students, scholars, teachers and professionals seeking to teach, conduct research and build cross-cultural connections.

For Katerberg, partnering with leadership in Uzbekistan represents a monumental opportunity for systemic change.

“I am currently meeting with leaders from the Agency of Social Protection, a governmental body that oversees services for children living in orphanages and individuals with disabilities,” Katerberg said. “Similar to the role of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the agency is responsible for shaping policy and directing services at the national level. The agency is planning to serve as my host institution during my Fulbright appointment.”

Katerberg’s Fulbright project will focus on supporting national efforts through program development, workforce development and early intervention training.

“Uzbekistan is actively working to transition away from institutional care and toward community- and family-based services,” Katerberg said. “As the governmental agency responsible for these policies and programs, the Agency of Social Protection is in a unique position to influence systemic change across the country.”

During her more than two decades of volunteering, including working and teaching in an orphanage there, Katerberg has been a proponent of community-based early intervention for children and families. In July of this year, she visited for two weeks to consult on a project, Possibilities Unlimited, that teaches life skills to children with disabilities and young adults from the community. 

Through the Fulbright Scholar Program, Katerberg aims to build on this work to create a sustainable, long-term impact for families across Uzbekistan.

“My engagement with this country has completely shaped who I am as a person and a professional,” she said. “Not only am I a different person because of my engagement there, I had the skills to do my proposal, and now, to do what I wrote.

“It’s amazing. A professor from Davenport can impact a country.”